Jan really liked the last mushroom soup I made. She asked for a soup just for the two of us, Eilene—who hates mushrooms—was off on an overnight. Reworking that recipe actually improved it quite a bit.

Karl’s Mushroom and Barley Soup
Jan really liked the last mushroom soup I made. She asked for a soup just for the two of us, Eilene—who hates mushrooms—was off on an overnight. Reworking that recipe actually improved it quite a bit.

Karl’s Mushroom and Barley Soup
Filed under California Fusion, Main Dishes, Soups, Vegan, Vegetarian, Vegetarian MD
The mushroom hater is on an overnight at a friend’s house, so Jan asked for a mushroom dish. She really liked the last one I did, so I thought I would do a variation. Soup calls for salad and crackers.

Karl’s Szechuan Pepper Shrimp and Arugula Salad
Filed under California Fusion, Salads, Seafood, Shrimp, Side Dishes, Vegetables
It is just Jan and me for a Saturday night. Eilene is off at a party, so Jan asked for something with mushrooms, like mushroom soup—something Eilene does not like. Soup calls for a salad and crackers.

Karl’s Sichuan Pepper Crackers
Filed under bread, California Fusion, Side Dishes, Vegetarian
I have been making marmalade the same way for years for a Christmas giveaway. I bought a microplane zester that produced very fine bits of rind. Over time I have been experimenting with the recipe— no extra water, fine bits of zest and less and less sugar. This has produced an intensely flavorful marmalade.

Karl’s Caramel Mandarin
Micro Marmalade
Filed under Breakfast, California Fusion, Treats, Vegan, Vegetarian
Adapted from an Ina Garten recipe
When I was a child my mother, Claudia, would make strawberry jam every strawberry season. With five kids and a tight budget, it was one more way to stretch a dollar—even then commercial jelly was expensive. Whenever she did this, she would also bake bread—the smell of fresh bread and jam would fill the house. We would all gather around anticipating the treat of hot jam on warm bread just out of the oven.

Karl’s Strawberry Jam
Filed under Breakfast, California Fusion, Treats, Vegan, Vegetarian
A common weekday dinner at my house is Chinese chicken salad. I have done it often enough that it has become a bit boring. I thought about what I could do that was similar, but in a different culture. When I make tacos, Jan uses the leftovers to make a taco salad for her lunch. I thought: “That is a starting point!”

Karl’s Chicken Taco Salad
with Hot-Pan Salsa
Filed under California Fusion, Chicken, Main Dishes, Poultry, Salads, Vegan, Vegetarian
Every year, my sister Karen renews my subscription to Cooks Illustrated at Christmas time. Over the years, I have tried and usually adapted many of their recipes—I am frequently at odds with some of their philosophies of cooking. In the October 2006 issue, they presented a recipe Stir-Fried Chicken with Bok Choy and Crispy Noodle Cake.

Karl’s Spicy Chicken
with Pan Fried Noodles
Filed under Chicken, Main Dishes, Poultry, Stir-fry, Vegan, Vegetarian
Before I left home for the first time, I sat down with my mother’s recipe box and wrote down my favorite dishes. I just posted a salmon cake recipe that put me in mind of one of my mother’s recipes: Baked Salmon. Claudia’s recipe cards were remarkable in their brevity and assumed knowledge. I will present the card as written and then give more detailed instructions for making this dish. Continue reading
Filed under Fish, Main Dishes, Seafood
When I make my Sunday meals, I usually make enough for one to three leftover meals. Sometimes this means just the same meal again. Other times I use whatever is left over as the basis for a new dish.

Karl’s Leftovers: Salmon Cake
Filed under Breakfast, Fish, Main Dishes, Seafood
When I make my Sunday meals, I usually make enough for one to three leftover meals. Sometimes this means just the same meal again. Other times I use whatever is left over as the basis for a new dish.

Karl’s Leftovers: Corn Beef Hash
Filed under Beef, Breakfast, Broiling, Main Dishes, Potatoes